


Child of the Moon missing scene

by Shatterpath



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen, Hunting, Survival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-30
Updated: 2012-11-30
Packaged: 2017-11-29 06:51:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/684080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shatterpath/pseuds/Shatterpath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snow learns survival skills from Red.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Child of the Moon missing scene

**Author's Note:**

> This challenge was to write a missing scene. I knew immediately what I wanted to write, even if it (as usual) took a different tack than I expected.

The longer I follow Red around on a quest for a peaceful place to live, the more I’ve come to rely on her skills and her calm presence. We may both have much to say about her dour and secretive Granny, but she certainly prepared Red with an amazing array of skills. At least with time and diligent practice I’ve passed from being completely useless baggage to passably competent companion. 

Who knew I could go from spoiled princess to some kind of wilderness ranger.

Swallowing hard, I mentally review everything Red has so painstakingly taught me. Breathe softly, steadily, sight down the deadly length of the arrow, aim not for your target, but just above, letting gravity pull the arrow down to the perfect spot. Note the wind, let instinct tell you how far to lean the arrow into that invisible push.

Pull. Note the creak of the fine wood, the strong gut between your fingers. Hold and feel the burn of effort in arms, shoulders, back, hips. Draw in a deep breath, let it out nice and slow.

Release.

With only a twang and swish of sound, the arrow flies, and there is a brief heartbeat before the deer screams and rears up at the impact to his flesh. It's not a true shot, but so much better than my past attempts. A second bolt unerringly spears the buck's rolling eye and he's dead before he hits the ground.

"Much better, Snow! Barely missed his heart and this one easily penetrated deeply enough to kill cleanly. A bit more practice and you won't need me backing you up."

"If you say so."

She ignores my dubious tone and lopes athletically over to the fallen buck. 

"He's a big one! We'll eat well. And this hide is magnificent. Care for some better clothes for this forest living?"

Cleaning the carcass still makes me ill, but I've learned to deal with it in order to eat. String him up in the tree, slit his throat, strip off the skin and hack him apart into manageable chunks. Retrieve the arrowhead from the body for future use. It's all becoming rote now.

"See," Red grins as we shoulder the heavy loads. "I'm right. You are getting better at this."

Refraining from groaning at the weight of fresh meat weighing me down, I do my best to smile. 

"I have a good teacher. Now, can we find a good place to hole up for a few days near some fresh water? I feel disgusting after all this butchering."

"Softy."

I merely stick out my tongue like a child and we move off together into the deep forest.


End file.
